James R. Doty
James R. Doty, M.D. is a Professor in the Neurosurgery Department at Stanford University School of Medicine and the Founder and Director of the Stanford Center for Compassion and Altruism Research (CCARE) of which His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the founding benefactor. He is a Fellow of both the American College of Surgeons and the International College of Surgeons. He served 9 years on active duty service in the U.S. Army.
Dr. Doty is an inventor and an entrepreneur, holding a number of patents on devices that are used on patients around the world. He maintains a broad neurosurgical interest and is one of the pioneers in the use of stereotactic radiosurgery utilizing the CyberKnife. He is an expert in the surgical treatment of benign and malignant tumors of the brain and spinal cord and has published extensively in the areas of spine and stereotactic radiosurgery.
For the last several years, his interest has focused on understanding the neural basis of compassion and altruism. He collaborates with a number of scientists in a variety of disciplines including neuroscience and psychology at Stanford and multiple universities throughout the world. He is the Senior Editor of the Oxford Handbook of Compassion Science.
As a philanthropist. Dr. Doty has supported health clinics throughout the world and groundbreaking neuroscience research. He has endowed chairs at multiple universities including Stanford and the chair for the Dean of Tulane Medical School, his alma mater.
He is the New York Times bestselling author of “Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon's Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart” which has now been translated into 36 languages.
3 words to describe Nature?
Awe. Joy. Inspiration
3 things Nature taught you?
Love
Hope
The ability for renewal
3 most treasured Nature spots?
Redwood forests
San Juan Islands
Hawaii
When you look at the ocean, it makes you feel...?
Small
When you see a forest, it makes you feel...?
Infinite possibilities
When you see a volcano, it makes you feel...?
Weak
When you see a sunrise or sunset, it makes you feel...?
Hopeful
When you hear thunder, it makes you feel...?
How we must respect nature
When you hear the wind howling, it makes you feel...?
Scared
Are you an Ocean, Mountain, Forest, or Desert person?
Forest
On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is Nature to your well-being?
10/10
Share with us a childhood nature memory?
I had just learned to swim and my parents took the family to a lake surrounded by redwoods. I remember my hesitancy stepping into the water, how cold it felt and then I started to swim and I swam across the lake. I never felt more powerful or alive then in that moment.
Courtney Boyd Myers
Courtney Boyd Myers is a community builder, writer, and entrepreneur. She is the cofounder of AKUA, a sustainable food company that created the world’s first Kelp Jerky, a vegan snack made from regeneratively ocean-farmed kelp that was recognized by Fast Company as a World Changing Idea and by Time Magazine as an Invention of the Year.
For six years, Courtney known as “CBM” has helped build the Summit Community, a global network of founders, creatives, and innovators. And most recently, she has helped start a private home-sharing network called MyPlace. Previously, she helped market companies such as Four Sigmatic, Raya, General Assembly, SecondHome, and Transferwise. She began her career as a journalist at Forbes Magazine, The Next Web, and The Huffington Post. Courtney has also been recognized as one of Fast Company's Most Creative People in Business, and one of Business Insider’s 30 Most Important Women Under 30 in Technology.
3 words to describe Nature?
Heavenly. Powerful. Vulnerable.
3 things Nature taught you?
Everything we need is all around us.
Stay present and have faith that it's all going to be okay.
We need to be kind to our fellow Earthlings.
3 most treasured Nature spots?
Big Bay, a kite spot just outside of Cape Town, South Africa
San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, where you can spend your days warm water surfing and your nights sleeping in the jungle.
Lake George, NY where I am currently quarantined!
When you look at the ocean, it makes you feel...?
At home
When you see a forest, it makes you feel...?
Child-like
When you see a volcano, it makes you feel...?
Strong
When you see a sunrise or sunset, it makes you feel...?
Grateful
When you hear thunder, it makes you feel...?
Romantic
When you hear the wind howling, it makes you feel...?
Excited
Are you an Ocean, Mountain, Forest, or Desert person?
Ocean
On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is Nature to your well-being?
10
Share with us a childhood nature memory?
The Little Mermaid came out when I was 5 years old and my life forever changed. I remember the feeling of being 5, 6, 7, 8 years old and every summer just staring at my legs in the swimming pool, and wishing I could grow fins. All these years later, and I am still trying to figure out how to be a mermaid.
Mary Poffenroth
Whether through making original content for TEDed and Wiley & Sons, writing for Science & Forbes, or speaking to live audiences at TEDx & SXSW, Mary Poffenroth’s goals are the same: Make Science Accessible for All. A Salzburg Global Fellow and first generation college student, she holds two masters degrees, one in biology and the other in science communication from Imperial College London. She is the author of Write Present Create: Science Communication for Undergraduates and has taught nearly 20,000 students both in person and online since 2007. Her work has been featured in legacy media outlets such as Time magazine and National Geographic as well as garnering views in the millions with YouTube’s Mahalo. Mary began her research career in astrophysiology at NASA Ames Research Center Moffet Field in 1999 and now focuses her research on the intersection of fear science, communication, and personal/social change as STEM faculty for San Jose State University. Listen to a recent interview with Allie Ward about Fear here Part 1 & Part 2
3 words to describe Nature?
Cleansing. Terrifying. Balancing
3 things Nature taught you?
To be self reliant
To duck under a bush when being shot at
To not pee on your pants while being a lady peeing in the woods
3 most treasured Nature spots?
Muir woods
Big Sur
Any beach on the planet
When you look at the ocean, it makes you feel...?
Like I’m Home
When you see a forest, it makes you feel...?
Like adventure is afoot
When you see a volcano, it makes you feel...?
Exhilarated
When you see a sunrise or sunset, it makes you feel...?
Sunrise = refreshed
Sunset = most likely a bit tipsy if I have taken the time to watch, I am most likely with friends drinking wine on a beach
When you hear thunder, it makes you feel...?
Ooohh when is the lightning gonna come
When you hear the wind howling, it makes you feel...?
Ready to jump into (faux) furry blankets with my puppy and a good audio book
Are you an Ocean, Mountain, Forest, or Desert person?
Ocean first, Mountain and forest are the same for me as an equal second, desert is a stark last place
On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is Nature to your well-being?
10… obvi
Share with us a childhood nature memory?
I was the outcast for loving nature in my family. My mother abhorred it unless it was tamed by a planter box. But i would find ways, big and small, to sneak into and onto the wild in an attempt to connect to something I did not have words for at the time.
Michael Murphy
Michael Murphy is an American artist, sculptor and pioneer of the Perceptual Art movement. Murphy became widely known during the 2008 U.S. presidential election, after creating the first portrait of candidate Barack Obama in 2007 that influenced thousands of artists to contribute to the “Art for Obama” movement, documented in Shepard Fairey's book Art for Obama: Designing Manifest Hope and the Campaign for Change.
His approach is to challenge the viewer’s boundaries using multidimensional techniques in order to create three-dimensional renderings of flat images. His inventions of "Expanded Graphics", the "3D Halftone" and "Suspended Narrative Mobiles" have established an entirely new formula for rendering images.
His work has been featured in numerous publications including TIME Magazine and New York Magazine and can be seen in numerous permanent installations around the world. His client list includes some of the largest brands in the world including Google, Nike, The Jordan Brand, LG, Lexus, Subaru, The Big Ten Network, ESPN, Disney, and the Atlanta Hawks to name a few. One of his pieces, COME TOGETHER, is currently touring with an art instalation show known as "Point of View" hosted by Wonderspaces.
3 words to describe Nature?
Inspiring. Rejuvenating. Essential.
3 things Nature taught you?
The beauty of light.
The rewards associated with being present and observant.
How important it is to be a good steward of the earth.
3 most treasured Nature spots?
The woods in the backyard where I grew up in Ohio. I built this great treehouse and spent countless hours up in the tree looking over the trees. It was especially magnificent in the fall.
Mill Creek Park in Ohio where I spent much of my childhood hiking and exploring.
Central Park.
When you look at the ocean, it makes you feel...?
Invigorated
When you see a forest, it makes you feel...?
Calm
When you see a volcano, it makes you feel...?
Fragile
When you see a sunrise or sunset, it makes you feel...?
Like I’ve been up too late. No really it makes me appreciate the beauty of the earth and its relationship to the sun
When you hear thunder, it makes you feel...?
Excited. I love thunder and lightning. As a child my family and I would always gather on our porch to watch thunder storms. It’s one of my most fond childhood memories.
When you hear the wind howling, it makes you feel...?
I get a rush of excited from strong winds.
Are you an Ocean, Mountain, Forest, or Desert person?
Oceans, mountains, and forest.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is Nature to your well-being?
10
Share with us a childhood nature memory?
When I was a child I used to lie on my back in the grass and watch the clouds roll by searching for naturally occurring images. This is the inspiration for much of my work. To date I’ve spent hundreds of hours filming and photographing clouds.
Ian McAllister
Ian McAllister is a co-founder of the wildlife conservation organization Pacific Wild. He is an award-winning photographer, film director and author of nine books, his images have appeared in publications around the world. He is a member of the International League of Conservation Photographers and a fellow of the Royal Geographic Society; a recipient of the North America Nature Photography Association’s Vision Award and the Rainforest Action Network’s Rainforest Hero award and Time Magazine’s “Leaders of the 21st Century” award for efforts to protect British Columbia’s endangered rainforest. He recently directed the Great Bear Rainforest IMAX film, the film is narrated by Ryan Reynolds and produced by MacGillivray Freeman Films.
3 words to describe Nature?
Life-support. Metamorphosis. Fragility
3 things Nature taught you?
Love of earth
Curiosity
That working in defense of nature is the most fulfilling life pursuit that I can think of.
3 most treasured Nature spots?
Where the Pacific ocean meets the temperate rainforest
Anywhere underwater
Staring into the eyes of a wild wolf
When you look at the ocean, it makes you feel…?
Humble, at home, empowered by the beauty and strength of it but also sadness for how our actions are impacting life below the surface.
When you see a forest, it makes you feel...?
Like I am surrounded by a collective of ancient and wise souls.
When you see a volcano, it makes you feel...?
Glad I don't own real estate under it
When you see a sunrise or sunset, it makes you feel...?
Sunrise. A sense of awakening, anticipation.
When you hear thunder, it makes you feel...?
Energized and wide eyed.
When you hear the wind howling, it makes you feel...?
comfort, if I am in a safe harbor, exhilarating if I am offshore.
Are you an Ocean, Mountain, Forest, or Desert person?
I live at the interface between ocean and the rainforest and feel a deep and strong affinity for each environment.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is Nature to your well-being?
10
Share with us a childhood nature memory?
When I was nine years old I opened our front door to find my mothers favorite goat giving its last breath as a large cougar had just crushed its throat. My dad wasn’t sure who was more dangerous at that point, my mom or the cougar. He quickly ran outside and yanked the cougars tail so hard it literally flew across the driveway and quickly climbed a tree. I have never been so close to a cougar since.
Amanda Slavin
During her career as an educator, Amanda realized that any platform can be a classroom with the right perspective. She learned to listen deeply to the young minds around her, and applied her teacher’s appetite for active, informative engagement to develop the award-winning brand consulting firm CatalystCreativ. As Founder & CEO of CatalystCreativ, Amanda has counseled global, national, and local organizations in planning for and achieving their branding goals. Through projects with Coca Cola, The Raiders, Google, WeWork, NPR, The Nature Conservancy, and the New York City Ballet, Amanda was featured as a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree in Advertising and Marketing.
Amanda guides brands to do good for the world without having to sacrifice their bottom line. To do this, she utilizes her well-tested proprietary method for quantifying and scaling engagement for employees and customers. Known as the Seventh Level Engagement Framework, this technique springs from Amanda’s expertise marketing to Millennials, Gen Z and what she has coined "the Millennial Minded." She’s spoken at SXSW, TED, Summit Series, and INBOUND about how The Seventh Level Engagement Framework is the future of meaningful, personal connections. Amanda’s groundbreaking thought leadership has been covered by Inc Magazine, Forbes, Fast Company, Wall Street Journal, and Time Magazine.
3 words to describe Nature?
Majestic. Important. Emotional
3 things Nature taught you?
How to give myself permission to let my imagination lead me
How to remember how small I am in comparison to the tallest of trees and the highest of mountains
To appreciate quiet
3 most treasured Nature spots?
Sedona, Arizona
Hana, Hawaii
Makhtesh, Israel
When you look at the ocean, it makes you feel...?
At peace from the sound, in awe of the power
When you see a forest, it makes you feel...?
Completely at home
When you see a volcano, it makes you feel...?
Lack of control, the importance to surrender
When you see a sunrise or sunset, it makes you feel...?
Like a kid again, to remember the little moments in life to be thankful for
When you hear thunder, it makes you feel...?
Scared but also kind of excited
When you hear the wind howling, it makes you feel...?
If i'm inside a warm home, it makes me thankful to be in warmth
Are you an Ocean, Mountain, Forest, or Desert person?
Forest
On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is Nature to your well-being?
9
Share with us a childhood nature memory?
My 95 year old grandma recalls no matter how many toys I was given, I would always go outside and prefer to play with "my tree." There was a big tree outside my window that I thought was my tree, and I remember pretending to be a witch and stirring the wood chips around the tree as a part of my witch couldron, (I definitely had a big imagination!)